Until now, there has been only one source of data on global fishery catches: information reported to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations by member countries. An extensive, ten-year study conducted by The Sea Around Us Project of the University of British Columbia shows that this catch data is fundamentally misleading. Many countries underreport the amount of fish caught (some by as much as 500%), while others such as China significantly overreport their catches. The Global Atlas of Marine Fisheries is the first and only book to provide accurate, country-by-country fishery data. This groundbreaking information has been gathered from independent sources by the world’s foremost fisheries experts, and edited by Daniel Pauly and Dirk Zeller of the Sea Around Us Project. The Atlas includes one-page reports on 273 countries and their territories, plus fourteen topical global chapters. National reports describe the state of the country's fishery, by sector; the policies, politics, and social factors affecting it; and potential solutions. The global chapters address cross-cutting issues, from the economics of fisheries to the impacts of mariculture. Extensive maps and graphics offer attractive and accessible visual representations. While it has long been clear that the world’s oceans are in trouble, the lack of reliable data on fishery catches has obscured the scale, and nuances, of the crisis. The atlas shows that, globally, catches have declined rapidly since the 1980s, signaling an even more critical situation than previously understood. The Global Atlas of Marine Fisheries provides a comprehensive picture of our current predicament and steps that can be taken to ease it. For researchers, students, fishery managers, professionals in the fishing industry, and all others concerned with the status of the world’s fisheries, the Atlas will be an indispensable resource.

Review Quotes

"A science-steeped volume that tells the story of finding the clearer window into fisheries we have today through the research itself...this data empowers fellow biologists, NGOs and policymakers to begin chipping away at the problems that face fisheries worldwide." Mongabay

"The word monumental is overused but rarely has a book more deserved it. An extraordinary account of the state of the world's fisheries. Essential reading."Callum Roberts, Professor of Marine Conservation, University of York, England

"This timely publication makes a very significant contribution to our understanding of what is actually happening with the world's fisheries and effectively makes the case that improved management requires more holistic approaches and less institutional and disciplinary fragmentation."John Tanzer, Director, Global Marine Program, World Wildlife International

#ForewordFriday: Global Atlas of Marine Fisheries

While it has long been clear that the world’s oceans are in trouble, the lack of reliable data on fishery catches has obscured the scale, and nuances, of the crisis. Based on an unprecedented 10-year research study by the world's foremost fisheries experts, the Global Atlas of Marine Fisherieswill fundamentally change the way the world thinks about ocean exploitation and management. It is the first and only book to provide accurate, country-by-country fishery data. Edited by Daniel Pauly and Dirk Zeller, the book includes one-page reports on 273 countries and their territories, plus fourteen topical global chapters. It will be an indispensable resource for researchers, students, fishery managers, professionals in the fishing industry, and all others concerned with the status of the world’s fisheries. Check out an excerpt from the book below.